Rapid presentation of photographic images



Sept. 7, 1954 c. M. TUTTLE RAPID PRESENTATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES Filed Dec. 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CLIFTON M. TUTTLE HIS ATTO ENE Sept. 7, 1954 C. M. TUTTLE RAPID PRESENTATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D90. 23, 1950 NH 8 VI M YT Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAPID PRESENTATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES Application December 23, 1950, Serial No. 202,505

Claims.

This invention relates to the production of photographic images and more particularly to an improved process and system by which such images may be presented rapidly for visual inspection;

There are many occasions in photographic work in which extremely fast viewing of the picture is desired, that is, in which it is desired to reduce to a minimum the time interval between 2 a developer solution is promptly applied to the emulsion side of the exposed film to develop the. latent image of the object. Simultaneously with the application of the solution and during the development of the image on the film, non-actinic light is passed through the film to form a projection of the image as it develops on the film. This projected image will consequently appear with increasing clarity on the projection screen exposure of the photographic film and the viewas the development operation proceeds. The ing of the photographic image. For example, in latent image will begin to appear as a silver imradar photography, it is necessary to minimize age on the projection screen immediately upon this time interval as much as possible. In a coapplication of the developer solution to the film, pending application of Clifton M. Tuttle and Forand within approximately the first half second, dyce M. Brown, Serial No. 114,701, filed Septemthe development is completed so that the image her 9, 1949, now Patent No. 2,665,619, issued January 12, 1954, there is disclosed an apparatus for taking a radar picture on a band of film, moving the film from the exposure station to a second station where it is processed by developer and fixer solutions, and then moving it to a third station where the newly processed image is projected. In such an apparatus the film must remain stationary at the processing station while a following section of the film is being exposed at the preceding exposure station. In a typical case in radar photography, the exposure interval, which is determined by the rate of the radar antenna rotation, occupies six seconds. Thus, each film section exposed to the radar screen is moved from the exposure station to the processing station and remains there for the following six seconds while the next section of the film is being exposed. It will be apparent that with an apparatus of this character there is no value in accelerating the film processing cycle to any period less than six seconds, in the example given above, because the film cannot be moved from the processing station until the next latent image has been formed at the exposure station on the following section or frame of the film. As a result of this time cycle, there is a delay amounting to six-seconds between the timewhen a latent image is formed on the film and the time when it can be used. In modern aircraft observation by the use of radar, the six second delay can result in an error of approximately a mile in the position observation.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a process and system whereby the abovementioned delay is eliminated or at least reduced to a negligible amount.

According to the invention, the photographic film is first exposed to light from the object to be photographed, such as a radar screen. Then,

obtains clarity on the screen.

The new system comprises an exposure station for receiving the photographic film, there being a lens positioned to project an image of the ob-i ject on the emulsion side of the film at this station. Beyond the exposure station, reckoned in the direction of the film movement, is a transparent member forming a film processing station. This member has a shallow recess adapted to be covered by the emulsion side of the film at the processing station. Associated with this recessed member are means for feeding a developer solution through the recess, whereby the solution flows rapidly in a thin stream over the emulsion side of the film to develop the latent image thereon. Optical elements including the transparent member at the processing station are arranged to project light from a lamp or other suitable source through the film at the processing station and upon a projection screen. Preferably, an actinic light filter is interposed between the light soure and the projection station, so that the light passing through the film at the processing station is rendered non-actinic. The film is moved from the exposure station to the processing station by a suitable film actuator, which preferably includes means for advancing the film in strip form, step by step.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred form of Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the system.

Unexposed film I in strip form is fed from a supply roll I 0a over a sprocket I I to an exposure station I2, thence between two transparent menu bers I3 and I4 forming between them an exposure station I5, thence over an intermittently; driven sprocket I6, and finally to a take-up roll I 0b. The sprocket I6 is driven from a suitable power source I1, which may include a Geneva mechanism, or the like, to provide the intermittent rotation of the sprocket.

Adjacent the exposure station I2 is an objective lens I8 interposed between this station and the object I 9 to be photographed, such as a radar screen. Thus, an image of the radar screen is formed by the lens I8 on the emulsion side of v the film at the exposure station I 2. I

The transparent members I3 and I4, which form the processing station I5, may be made of fused quartz. As shown particularly in Fig. 3, the member I3 is formed with a shallow recess I3a at the emulsion side of the adjacent film II]. This recess is normally covered by the film and corresponds in area to the exposed portion of the film. A feed passage I3b in the member I3 leads into the recess I3a along one edge thereof and is connected to a pipe 2| having branch pipes 22, 23, and 24. The branch pipes being provided with valves 22a, 23a, and 24a, respectively. The branch pipes 22, 23, and 24 are connected, respectively, to reservoirs (not shown) for a developer solution, a fixing solution, and a washing solution. An outlet passage I30 communicates with the recess I3a along the edge thereof opposite the inlet passage I3b. This outlet passage is connected to a suction pipe 25 leading to a suitable source of vacuum (not shown). By reason of the suction in the pipe 25, the developer solution from the supply pipe 22 is drawn into the recess I3a by way of pipe 2I and feed passage I31), and then flows rapidly in a thin stream over the emulsion side of the adjacent film II), the solution being discharged from the recess through passage I 30 into the suction pipe 25. In this way, the latent image on the film is developed extremely rapidly. The suction in pipe 25 also acts to draw the film Ill against the adjacent face of the member I3 around the edges of recess I3a, thereby preventing leakage of the developer solution from the recess.

The other transparent member or platen I4 is likewise recessed, as shown at I ia, this recess being located opposite the recess I3a. A passage I4b in the member I4 leads to an opening I40 in the bottom of recess Ma. The passage M17 is connected to a suction pipe 26. Due to the partial vacuum maintained in recess I4a by the suction tube, the tendency for the film Ii) to be drawn into the processing recess I3a, under the action of the suction in pipe 25, is counteracted. Therefore, the film will remain substantially flat between the members I3 and I4 during the processing operation. If desired, a porous transparent insert may be arranged in the recess I4a of the platen I4 with the outer face of the insert fiush with the platen face adfiacent the film. In this way, a higher vacuum may be maintained by pipe 26 in the recess Ida than is maintained in the opposing recess I3a, and the film will be held fiat against the surface of the porous insert. Such an arrangement is disclosed in a copending application of Ernest Maiwald. Serial No. 175,715, filed July 25, 1950.

A lamp 28 is positioned at one side of the processing station l5. Light from the lamp 28 is condensed by a lens 29 adjacent the transparent member I 4, so that the condensed light passes .through the member I4, the film at the processing station, and the transparent member I3. An actinic light filter 30 is interposed between the light source and the processing station, so that the light passing through the film at this station is rendered non-actinic. At the opposite side of the processing station is a projection lens 3I which receives the light passing through the members I3 and. I4. From the lens 3|, the light passes through a prism 32 and is brought to a focus on a projection screen 33.

In the operation of the system, each film frame is exposed at the station I2 as soon as it is moved to this station from the supply roll Illa by the film actuator H. In the next operation of the intermittently driven sprocket I6, the exposed film frame is moved to the processing or developing station between the transparent members I3 and I4. At the instant when the exposed film frame is drawn into the processing station I5, uniform minus blue light is projected onto the screen 33 from lamp 28 by way of the optical elements including the filter 30, the lens 29, transparent members I 3 and I4, lens 3| and prism. 32, this projected light, of course, passing through the film IE at the processing station. The developer solution valve 22a is opened in any suitable manner simultaneously with completion of the movement of the film frame to the processing station, with the result that fresh solution is immediately drawn over the emulsion side of the film by the suction pipe 25. Consequently, the latent image will begin to appear at once as a silver image on the screen 33. Within approximately the first half second, the development is complete. Therefore, the image appears on the screen 33 almost immediately, and it increases in contrast and legibility for the first half second. Thus, during the short interval of the development operation, the image is available for inspection on the screen 33. Thereafter, if desired, the valve 22a may be closed and the valve 2311 opened to feed the fixing solution through the recess I 311, whereby complete fixing of the image with some slight additional increase in contrast occurs in the next half second. The valve 23a may then be closed and the valve 24a. opened to feed the washing solution through recess I3a, although the washing of the film is unimportant unless it is desired to keep the film record permanently. During the processing of the film at the station I5, and while the image is being inspected on the screen 33, the next film. frame at the station I2 is being exposed to form another latent image of the object I 9. When. this exposure is completed, the sprocket I6 is again rotated to remove the developed film from the processing station I5, advance the exposed film from station I2 to station I5, and move the next film frame to the exposure station I2.

It will be apparent that the valve 22a constitutes a means for operating the developer feeding means (22, 2I, I3a, 25) simultaneously with the operation of the lamp 28.

The exposure station I2 and the processing station I5, and the film leading thereto, may be arranged in any suitable light-tight casing. The emulsion on the film II) is preferably of the type composed of exceedingly small silver halide particles embedded in a thin gelatine layer. The fine particle size renders the film transparent and nonscattering to the non-actinic light from lamp- 23.

Referring to Fig. 4', the film lfl' passes from the supply roll ltd to a housing 28 having an aperture forming a first exposure station 29. The objective lens It focuses an image of the radar screen or tube [9 on the film at station, 29. Beyond the station 29, the housing has an aperture forming a second exposure station 30' underlying an objective lens 31, which focuses on the film at station 39 an image of a plotting screen 32. Thus, adjacent frames of the film til at stations 29 and 38 are exposed simultaneously to form images of the radar screen [9 and the plotting screen 32, respectively. Beyond the station 35, the housing has a double station 34 where the latent images formed onthe film at the two exposure stations are simultaneously developed and projected. In other words, each of the two sections of the double station 34 corresponds to the processing and projection station [5 of Fig. 1, in that it allows projection of light through the adjacent transparent film during rapid fiow of a developer solution in a thin stream across the emulsion side of the film (the lower side as here shown). It will be understood that within the housing 26, and directly below the film at station 3 3, is a transparent recessedmember similar to the member l3, except that its shallow recess has an area corresponding to two adjacent frames of the film. Suction is applied to this recess from a vacuum source 35 (also a waste tank) through a suction pipe 25, to draw the developer solution through the recess from tank 36 and supply pipe 3'! leading into the housing and the recessed member. Thus, the solution ,will flow along the emulsion side of both film frames at station 34, so that the images thereon will be developed simultaneously, the spent solution being discharged through suction pipe 25 into the vacuum waste tank 35.

Since the transparent recessed member in the housing 28 is of the same nature and performs the same functions as the member I3, it is unnecessary to describe and illustrate it. While the housing 28 as shown is not arranged to accommodate an opposing transparent member similar to the platen I4 of Fig. 1, such a platen may, if desired, be positioned directly above the film at station 3 1, so as to prevent even a slight drawing of the film into the shallow recess for the processing solution.

Light from a lamp 38 is projected upward by a reflector 39 through the housing 28, including the transparent recessed member, and the lagging frame of the film at station 34, the light then passing through a projection lens 40 to the plotted screen 32. Light from another lamp AI is projected upward through the housing, the transparent recessed member and the leading frame of the film at station 34, this light then passing through a projection lens 43 to a reflector M, which directs the beam laterally upon a projection screen :5. An actinic light filter and a condensing lens are located in the housing in the path of each light beam from the lamps 39 and ll, so that the condensed light passing through each film frame at station 34 is rendered non-actinic.

In operation, the film H] is advanced intermittently by a suitable actuator, such as the intermittently driven sprocket 46, through a distance corresponding to the spacing between alternate frames on the film. Thus, the leading and lagging frames arriving at the double sta- 6 tion134, at each advance of the film, will have been previously exposed at the stations 30 and 29, respectively, and will therefore have latent images of the plotting screen 32 and the radar screen i 9, respectively. As soon as these frames come to rest at the station 34, the developer solution is drawn through the housing 28 and the recess of its transparent member corresponding to member 13, as by opening a suitable valve (not shown) in the supply pipe 3l. Immediately,

-the image of the radar screen I9 will begin toappear on the plotting screen 32, Where the desired indicia are plotted or traced from the image in the usual manner, and at the same time an image of the indicia previously plotted on the screen 32 will begin to appear on the projection screen 45. These images will increase in contrast and legibility for the first half second, when the development is completed. At the same time, the new film frames at the stations 29 and Bil are being exposed to form new images of the radar screen It and plotting screen 32, respectively. Upon the next advance of the film, this procedure is repeated so that the new image of the radar screen and the image of the previous plot on the screen 32 appear on the screen 32 and the projection screen G5, respectively. In this way, the system provides means for readily comparing and analyzing successive images of the radar screen It.

The apparatus of Fig. 4 may be mounted in a light-tight casing ll carrying the plotting screen 32 and having an aperture through which the images of screen 32 are projected upon the screen @5. If desired, additional tanks 48 and 49 may be connected through valved pipe lines 50 and 5| to the housing 28 to supply fixer and washing solutions to the film at station 34.

I claim:

1. In a photographic system for rapidly presenting and comparing data from an object, the combination of first and second viewing screens, a pair of film exposure stations and a pair of film developing stations, a lens for projecting an image of said object on a film at one of the exposure stations, a lens for projecting an image of the first screen on a film at the second exposure station, means for feeding a developer solution to film at said developing stations to develop simultaneously the images on the film atsaid last stations, means operable simultaneously with said feeding means for projecting light through the film at one of the developing stations and upon said one screen, means operable simultaneously With said feeding means for projecting light through the film at the second developing station and upon the second screen, and an intermittently operating actuator for simultaneously moving film from said first and second exposure stations to said first and second developing stations, respectively.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which said first screen is a plotting screen.

3. A system for rapidly presenting a photographic image of an object, which comprises an exposure station for receiving a photographic film, a lens positioned to project an image of said object on the film at said station, a transparent member forming a film developing station for receiving the film from the exposure station, said member having a recess adapted to be covered by the emulsion side of the film at the developing station, means for feeding a developer solution through said recess to develop the latent image on the film, a viewing screen, a light source,

optical elements including said member arranged to project light from said source through the film at the developing station and upon the screen, means for operating said feeding means simultaneously with the operation of said light source whereby the image appears on the screen with increasing clarity as it develops on the film, and a film actuator for moving the film from the exposure station to the developing station, said feeding means including a suction tube communicating with said recess for drawing the developer solution therethrough, a transparent platen member having a recessed portion opposite said recess, said members forming between them the developing station, and a suction tube communicating with said recessed portion of the platen member for creating a partial vacuum therein to counteract the tendency for the film to be drawn into said recess for the developer fluid, whereby the film is held substantially flat between said members.

4. A system for rapidly presenting a photographic image of an object, which comprises an exposure station for receiving a photographic film, a lens positioned to project an image of said object on the film at said station, a transparent member forming a film developing station for receiving the film from the exposure station, said member having a recess adapted to be covered by the emulsion side of the film at the developing station, means for feeding a developer solution through said recess to develop the latent image on the film, a viewing screen, a light source, optical elements including said member arranged to project light from said source through the film at the developing station and upon the screen, means for operating said feeding means simultaneously with the operation of said light source whereby the image appears on the screen with increasing clarity as it develops on the film, a film actuator for moving the film from the exposure station to the developing station, a second exposure station disposed along the path of movement of the film by the actuator, a lens positioned to project an image of said screen on the film at the second exposure station, said developing station being a double station adapted to receive simultaneously the film portions from the two exposure stations, whereby the images on said film portions are developed simultaneously by the solution delivered to the film by said feeding means, a second screen, and means for projecting light through the film at said developing station and upon the second screen, said film actuator being operable to move the film portion from said first exposure station into the path of the light projected through the developing station from said source to the first screen and simultaneously to move the film portion from said second exposure station into the path of the light projected through the developing station upon the second screen by said projecting means.

5. A system according to claim 4, in which said first screen is a plotting screen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,222,654 Mischansky Apr. 17, 1917 1,487,729 Ybarrondo Mar. 25, 1924 1,959,233 Franke May 15, 1934 2,186,637 Green Jan. 9, 1940 2,221,055 Lundegardh Nov. 12, 1940 2,294,423 Del Riccio Sept. 1, 1942 2,446,668 Tuttle Aug. 10, 1948 2,473,174 Pifer June 14, 1949 2,586,772 Ashby Feb. 26, 1952 

